Shock and vibration insulator



Nov. 27, 1951 F. YERZLEY 2,576,271

SHOCK AND VIBRATIOFI INSULATOR Original Filed May 20, 1943 3 4 6 49 f F I .2: g: Imqentor 40 .By f elz'x Z: .Verz/sy 58 59 fly/5 bm w+m (Iitornegs Patented Nov. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

SHOCK AND VIBRATION INSULATOR Felix L. Yerzley, Verona, N. J.

Original application May 20, 1943, Serial No. 487,798, now Patent No. 2,415,983, dated February 18, 1947. Divided and this application October 17, 1946, Serial No. 703,903.

13 Claims.

This invention is concerned with devices in the nature of shock and vibration insulators, such as may constitute or be parts of the connections between supporting elements on the one hand, e. g., an instrument board in an airplane, and an element carried by such board, e. g., one of the navigation instruments. Devices of this kind are shown and described in my Patent 2,353,952, issued July 16, 1944; also in my co-pending application Serial No. 487,798, filed May 20, 1943, now Patent 2,415,983, of which this is a division.

It is an object of the present invention to utilize as I believe, more fully, in the design of devices forlthe general purposes set forth, the special qualities of rubber that lend themselves to the accomplishment of those purposes. And particularly I aim to utilize the fact that the fatigue life of a length of rubber, normally slack between end supports, if repeatedly subjected to shear deformation stresses by a load applied perpendicular to the length intermediate the supports, will have a relatively short fatigue life, as compared with a similar length that is initially and constantly under tension and in other respects subjected to the same treatment.

Other objects and aims of the invention will appear in the course of the following description, taken in connection with the drawings forming a part thereof.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 illustrates in perspective an arrangement in which an endless band (or it may be a single stretch of rubber) is kept under tension between two supporting and/or relatively movable hooks or other suitable fastening means engaging the ends of the rubber, and a block is mounted on the rubber intermediate the hooks to which block load or force is applied, as for example in the direction or directions of the arrows, for bringing about shear deformation in the rubber;

Fig. 2 illustrates in diagram the subject-matter of Fig. l;

-Fig. 3 shows an element derived from Fig. 1; the length of rubber, whether there is a single strip or the parallel courses of an endless band as shown, is bent to give it an angular formation useful in embodiments like, for example, Figs. '7 and 8;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic representation of the subject-matter of Fig. 3;

5 is similar to Fig. 3; except that the z cation of a plurality of Fig. 1 devices to makeup a mount for a radio chassis or the like;

Figs. '7 and'8 illustrate in diagram arrangements similar to Fig. 6 made up of elements like Fig. 3 ors; H V Fig. 9 illustrates in perspective an adaptation of the device of Fig. 5,"but modified to accom modate a plurality of rubber bands such as shown inFig.8;'

Figs. 10 and 11 show the Fig. 9 device in top plan view and front elevation respectively;

Fig. 13 illustrates in perspective an adaptation of the Fig. 1 element; with means for regulating the tension of the rubber element;

Fig. 14 is a perspective view showing a variation of the Fig. 1 arrangement whereby the relatively movable elements may accommodate and be connected by a plurality of the rubber connectors arranged vertically one above the other;

Fig. 15 illustrates in perspective a modification of the devices shown in Fig. l, which could also be adapted to the structures of Figs. 3, 5, 9, 13 or 14, whereby the effective length of a rubber band or strip may be varied without changing its actual length or overall tension.

courses of the band are disposed one above the other in vertical planes;

In Fig. 1 there is a sort of saddle 4| provided with side grooves4l' to accommodate the inter.- mediate portions of thecourses of the stretched ring or band 40,- load being applied to the saddle 4| and causing it to move as indicated by the arrows, thereby subjecting the rubber to deformation in shear, as will be obvious. Saddle 4| corresponds to element 26 of the relatively, movable elements 2526 inFigs. 9, 10 and 11, and hooks 42 are on the other of such relatively movable elements. It must be remembered, however, that functionally it makes little difference which of the elements 4|'-42 is considered to be the moving load or force-applying member, and which is the relatively stationary member; they frequently exchange roles in practice.

Fig. 2 illustrates the Fig. 1 construction in diagram, the black circles in that case representing fixed, or adjustably fixed points of support 42, and the light circle representing the saddle 4|.

In Fig. 3 there is shown a stretched rubber ring or band 40 bent into angular form as shown,

and there are end supports 42 carried on one relatively movable member (similar to member25 of relatively movable members 25 26 in Figs, 9, 10 and 11), but the load is applied by meanslof hooks 43 that engage the rubber at the apex of the angle and that are rigid with the other 'of the relatively movable-members. v This particw,

. 3 lar form of device may be used singly or it may be used in multiple, as shown in Figs. '7 and 8.

Fig. 4 illustrates the Figs. 3 and 5 constructions diagrammatically.

Fig. 5 is similar to Fig. 3 but the courses or the stretched rubber band are in the same vertical planes, as distinguished from the Fig. 3 arrangement where the courses of the band are in the same horizontal plane." In this embodiment the load-applying member 44 may be a single verti-' cal arm provided with spaced notches 45 to engage the respective courses of the stretched rubber band (see Fig. 9).

It will be obvious with respect to both the Fig. 3 and the Fig. 5 constructions that the initial and persisting tension contemplatedjby my invention may be put into the rubber element by simply moving the end supports 42 further apart as measured along the length of the rubberisee Fig. 13); or, the positions of the end supports being fixed, by changing the angle of the length of, rubber by appropriate adjustment of the position of member 43 or '44 with respectjto its engagement with the rubber." Thelatter is diagrammaticallyillustrated in Fig. '5. Instead of the'load being applied directly to member 44, it

may be applied to member 44' and communicated" therefrom through'adiustable screw S which is threaded through member 44. Thus, screw S serves as a means for-regulating the initial and persisting tension imposed on the band 48." It is to be understood that in both Figs. 3 and 5 the supports 42 are attached to one of themovable members, corresponding to member 25 of the relatively movable members 25-126: in Figs. '9, l andll, while the members 43 or 44 (or 46) are rigid with the other one of the relatively movable members.

Figs. 6 and 1 2 illustrate in diagram the application of a plurality of Fig. 1 devices to make up; a mount for a radio chassis or the like, the black, circles representing points or" support 42 rigid with one, relatively movable element corresponding to element 250i the relatively movable elements 25-46 in-Figs. 9, l0 and 1-1, and the light circles representing points of application oi load rigid With the other one of the relatively movable elements. 7

"Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate in diagram arrangements similar to Fig. 6, but made up ofelernents like Fig. 3 or 5, and here again'the, black circles represent points of support rigid withone relatively'movable member, corresponding to member 25 of: relatively movable members 25-26inFigs. 9,10. and 11, while the light circles represent points of application of force fixed on the other movable member.

*Figsx9, 10 and 11 illustrate an adaptation of the device of Fig. 5, which utilizes two rubber ring elements'such as shown in Fig. 5. In these figures there are=two relatively movable members 25 and 26. Member 25'is provided with two pairs of notches 4B, 46 and 46, 46 which receive the parallel courses of one rubber ring lll, the ring being engaged over the two projections 46". mediate their ends the'two courses of thisrubber ring 40 are received by two notches in'member zs as shown.' A second rubber ring 48, located on the opposite side of the' device, connects members 25and26 in like fashion. In Fig; '9 this second rubber ring is largely hidden behind members 25 and -26, but'one end portion' oi it appears atreferencecliaracter 4E3. This second rihgWB-is engaged cver' two' projections 46 (one shswnr on 'memben'2 arid- .the' two courses 0f Interin places w here there'e ttipie space verticaliy'butT the ring are'received in two pairs of notches 46', 46 (one pair shown) in member 25. The two courses of the second rubber ring 48 are received by two notches in member 26, the arrangement being similar to that shown for the first rubber ring 40.

Fig. 13 shows a modification of the Fig. 1 device, in which there is a base 41 that corresponds to element 250? the relatively movable. elements 25-28 in Figs. 9, l0 and ii. Adjustable towards and from each other, as by means of adjusting screws 48, $3, is a pair of blocks 49, 49 each provided with a notch to receive a rubber ring 40. By moving the blocks (49, 49 away from each other to the proper extent, the rubber is put under the desired tension and kept in that condition by the fixing of. the adjusted position by means of the screws 48, 48. There is a saddle il carried by the band which constitutes, or is attached to, the other relatively movable member, corresponding to member 26 of relatively movable members 25 -255 in Figs. 9, l0 and 11.

In 14 there isa base 50 carrying upstanding columnar members 5!, four of them arranged in pairs, the members of a pair opposing each other as showmandeach of whichrn'ernlc'iers'"5] is provided'with a pluralityo'f outwardly opening notches 52, and there is another columnar-"isle ment 53 provided at different'levels with 'througli' openings 54, successive ones of 'tho seppening's" extending through the piece-ES'at righta'ngle each other. 'The'ba'se stj W111 constitute; r e attached to, one movableelementlihefi or 26 in Figs. 9, 1'0, and 1 1, and t e piecess'win'ponsth tute, or be attached to,'the other rnoVaEbIe elemefit'j corresponding tothe other movable lemei 1i e: 25 or 2%. Connection between 53f and the u 3 rights 52 is established by meansof aplural ty" of endless rubber bands"55,"wh'ich respectively pass through'the several openingsinthe'me ber 53 and have their ends 'erigag'edi'n the'llcor sponding notches in opposed uprigntst l; 'each such endless band being under'ini'tfi'al' and persist? ing tension. It is believed that the'furictiofiing of this device will be obvious, It as advantage not laterally. And, of c'cmr se, there is the mint: lative effect oi utilizing a pluralityofrubberelee mentsv In Fig. 15 there is a base corresponding to base 41 of Fig. 13, and there are end bio "549 this case are shown rigidwith th base though they may be adjustable as in Fig. lB ifLdesired. These blocks are provided with notches to ,accom modate the rubber band and there is also} saddle 4i similarly, provided with'notchesac; commodate the rubber band 49. In addition, there are blocks 58, provided with notches to acecom-modate the rubber band 4Q, andwhich are slidable towards and iromeach other on the base and which may besecured in adjusted position by means ofsetscrews 5$. These blocksfifigare two in number, and located, respectively, between the saddle 4H and the adjacent end block; 43. (3b viously;if the blocks 58are moved more or less towards each other, they will determinentheeffece tive length of the rubber between-them, with con: sequent effects on the, spring rate, etc. V v The design of springs of the ring-type class. demands especially careful attention :to details. One of the important factors is'thesi-ze and pro-' portioning of-the rubber ring. The .major'dime'nsions of a circular. ring are the inner andouter diameters and the thickness; Thediameters may be so chosen relative to eachothersand togthe thickness that the ring may appear to be thin or thick, as desired.

The thickness may be so chosen as to provide a thin washer-like ring or be increased to such an extent that the ring becomes in fact a length of tubing, but useful in the design of springs for special cases. For fixed diameters the load-carrying capacity can be increased in direct proportion to the increase in thickness, provided the hooks are correspondingly opened to accommodate the additional thickness. As the thickness is increased with respect to the diameters certain consequences must be recognized and compensated for if necessary. In a spring employing a flat ring of rubber the deformation of the unsupported rubber between hooks is in shear for small deformations, with a tension aspect becoming apparent for larger deformations. The external load is applied to the supporting members and is transmitted to the rubber by a compressive contact between the inner flat surface of the hooks and the area of the supported portion of the ring. If the supporting area of the hooks is larger in comparison with the load, the intensity of the compression forces in the supported portion of the ring is low. Between the supported portions and the unsupported portions the stresses resulting from the applied load change from compression to shear. As in any mechanical assembly of metal or other material involving active forces capable of producing fatigue, complications of stresses are to be avoided in good design. In the ring types of spring disclosed herein the effects of stress transitions are minimized by the initial circumferential tension in the ring, which is at right angles to the shear planes, and by other controllable factors, principally the proportioning of the parts, i. e., design details. As long as the compressive stresses in the supported portion of the rubber can be kept low, there can be no serious stress complications at the boundary with the unsupported sections. However, it is conceivable that complications affecting the serviceability of a spring can occur if the distribution of compressive and shear stresses is not properly controlled.

In compliance with the patent statutes, I have disclosed the best forms in which I have contemplated applying my invention herein claimed. It will be understood, however, that the invention may be embodied in other forms, and that the disclosure of specific forms is to be considered as illustrative and not limiting.

I claim:

1. In an organization for mounting an object on a support and insulating the object from vibration to which the support may be subjected, a length of rubber, adjustable means carried by the support and operative to stretch the length of rubber in the direction of its length and maintaining it in tension, and a member attached to the object and engaging the rubber between its ends for transmitting load from the object to the rubber in a direction perpendicular to its length.

2. A spring element for the purpose set forth, comprising two longitudinally stretched lengths of rubber in generally parallel relationship, means for maintaining said lengths in longitudinally stretched condition, and a saddle between the ends of the lengths, the saddle having a formation accommodating the lengths for transmitting load to and in a direction perpendicular thereto, and the saddle being pressed against both lengths of rubber to give them respectively an angular 6 formation while maintaining their generally parallel relationship.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 in which the lengths of rubber are disposed in sideby-side position.

4. The combination set forth in claim 2 in which the lengths of rubber are disposed one above the other.

5. Two complemental elements connected by a plurality of peripherally-continuous elongated rubber loops under constant substantial tension, each loop comprising two lengths of rubber secured at at least two points to one element, and means carried by the other element to transmit load to each length and subject it to deformation in shear, such load-transmitting means engaging the lengths of rubber between two points of their attachment to said one element and holding the lengths in angular formations in a plane perpendicular to the direction in which load is applied.

6. In an organization for mounting an object on a support and insulating the object from vibration to which the support may be subjected, a length of rubber, means carried by the support and operative to stretch the rubber in the direction of its length and maintain it under tension, load-applying means attached to the object and engaging the length of rubber between its ends and holding it in an angular formation, and adjustable means for shifting the position of the load-applying means to vary the normal angularity of said angular formation.

7. In an organization for mounting an object on a support and insulating the object from vibration to which the support may be subjected, two complemental members, one of which is attached to the support and is provided with two pairs of columns, the members of each pair being in opposed relationship to each other, all of the columns being provided with outwardly opening notches; and the other complemental member being attached to the object and having a series of through openings vertically spaced and each opening extending at a right angle to its neighbors, and closed loops of rubber under tension disposed in elongated form and extending through the openings in the second named member and having the ends of their elongated formations engaged in the corresponding notches of the corresponding pair of columns of the first named member.

8. In an organization for mounting an object on a support and insulating the object from vibration to which the support may be subjected, two complemental elements one being attached to the support and the other being attached to the object and the two being connected by a plurality of peripherally-continuous elongated rubber loops under constant substantial tension, each loop comprising two lengths of rubber secured at at least two points to one element, and means carried by the other element to transmit load to each length of rubber in a transverse direction, such load-transmitting means engaging the lengths of rubber between two points of their attachment to said one element and holding the lengths in angular formations.

9. In an organization for mounting an object on a support and insulating the object from vibration to which the support may be subjected, a loop of rubber stretched to provide two parallel lengths of rubber maintained under tension, the ends of the lengths being attached to the support, load-applying means attached to the object and, e rigagingboth ofsaid lengths of rubber between their' ends homing them iri'i'afil g ulaii formations in planes perpendio'ular to the 'direc m ji ijwmchithe oad,igappndjanga u ta le mans foi Shifting the position of the 'l'oad applying means in a direetion perpendidiilar to the a reembnm which the load is applied to'ther'eby vary the angularity of said angui'ario'rmationsl' 10, In an organization for mounting. anbbject on a' siipport ani'insulatine' the object from vibliationto which the support niay'be subited, two elements one being attached to theSuI pQrt' and theother being attachedto the object and the two being, connected by at least one p'e riphera lily-conti'nlious elongated. rubber loop uh"- dei'iioontinuing snb's tantiai'tnsion, said ioop comprising two lengths of rubber secured at at least twoboints to one elementand means carried 'by the other element to transmit load to each'len'gth in fa transverse h direction such load-transmitting means engaging the lengths of'rnbber' between two points of their attachment to said one'ele ment and hoieiing the lengths in" aiiignl'ar forniagtionf 11. An organization as in claim 10, in which the means 'w'vhieh engages the lengths 'of fru'bber rii qber, anotneameee meat-b am the ob:

whioh the one"rnniber is provided with means'i ratign o. hichithei upp ti ayhe sub courseshis maeedinto angular'formations.""

13 The, combination set'forthfin'iclaiin 12, in

f i lh d i a plu ality V of 'elosed' ma s of m ber' in elongated'stre'tched. condition, in Whichthe other member has nothes engaging the COIi ISJEJS betweentheirfend, and the angiiiar formations of the courses of eniwerdle h h FELIX L. YERZLEY.

REFERENCES CITED,

Thefollowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,704,570 Lee et a1 Mar. 5, 1929 2,235,505 Ryan Mar. 18,1941 2,353,943 Storch June 15, 1944 2,353,952 Yerzley July 18, 1944 2,415,983

Yerzley Feb. 18, 1947- .t'he respeoti e loops of 1 rubber; 

